The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 7
VERSE 7.
Neither becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham, are they all children: but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called.
IN this Verſe the Apoſtle maketh a diſtinction of the ſeed of Abraham, and having affirmed, that all they that are of the ſeed of Iſrael are not Iſraelites; ſo here in this ſeventh Verſe, he inſtanceth in Abrahams Family, and here the Apoſtle affirmeth, how that not all they that came of Abraham by natural generation, are the true ſeed of Abraham, to whom the promiſe belongeth; and this he doth in the firſt part of the verſe: Then in the ſecond place, the Apoſtle maketh known (by way of oppoſition, and of particular inſtance,) who were the true ſeed of Abraham, to whom the promiſe belongeth, namely Iſaac, which the Apoſtle putteth down in the words of Scripture, alluding to that in Gen. 21.12. where we find the true ſeed of Abraham that ſhould inherit the promiſe, that God would call, it was Iſaac; ſo that the reaſoning of the Apoſtle conſidered, with that place in Geneſis, may be thus illuſtrated; why? Iſhmael was of Abraham, as well as Iſaac, he was his ſon, yet onelyonly Iſaac was the true ſeed, and the true ſon of Abraham, therefore all that are of Abrahams ſeed, by carnal generation, are not the true ſeed of Abraham, children of God.
But now if any ſhould object and ſay, If Iſhmael was the ſeed of Abraham, then Iſhmael was his child. It is true, but how? according to the fleſh, the child of the fleſh: verſe the eighth; but Iſaac onelyonly was the child of the promiſe; this is alſo confirmed by a teſtimony of Scripture in the ninth verſe; thus we ſee then the Analyſis of the verſe: Come we now to the meaning of the words.
neither are they all children:] That is, neither are they all children of God, children of Abraham, to whom God made the promiſe of life, and of ſalvation.
becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham,] Or, becauſe they are the children of Abraham, according to the fleſh, by carnal generation, therefore they are not children of Abraham, and ſo conſequently of God.
But in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called.] This is a place of Scripture cited out of Gen. 21.12. where God ſpeaketh unto Abraham to his comfort, againſt his heavineſſe, becauſe he was grieved exceedingly, that he ſhould caſt forth his ſon Iſhmael, and Hagar his mother; and theſe words carry this ſenſe, Be not grieved, Abraham, to caſt out Iſhmael, and his mother, but do as Sarah thy wife would have thee, for I tell thee, that Iſhmael thy ſon, ſhall not be thy ſon and heir, but Iſaac is the child in whom I will make good my promiſe, concerning righteouſneſſe, life, and ſalvation; and therefore be not grieved to caſt out Iſhmael, for Iſaac is thine heir; So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apoſtle, Neither are they all the children of God, or of Abraham, to whom God hath promiſed ſalvation, that come of Abraham, according to the fleſh; for I tell thee, (ſaith the Apoſtle,) in the name of God, Iſhmael thy ſon ſhall not be thine heir, but Iſaac is the ſon of the Promiſe, and in him will I fulfill, ſaith the Lord, the promiſe of grace, life, and ſalvation.
Come we now to the Obſervations. And firſt of all, in that the Apoſtle ſaith, all they are not Gods children, or the children of the promiſe, (to whom ſalvation belongeth,) that are of the race and linage according to the fleſh: hence the obſervation is this,
Doctrine. That men are not therefore Gods children, and have not therefore right and title unto the Promiſes of mercy, and of grace, life, and ſalvation, becauſe they are the children of godly parents, and of true believers. The very coming and diſcending from holy parents by the courſe of nature, is not ſufficient to intitle a man, or a woman into the promiſes of God, touching life and ſalvation; becauſe a man is the child of a holy parent, or holy parents, therefore to have right and title to the promiſes of God, no, no ſuch matter: Hence it was that the Lord Jeſus did ſo often check the Jewes, for ſtanding ſo much upon their birth and parentage, that they were the children of Abraham, as if that were ſufficient to eſtate them in the promiſe appertaining to Abraham, and was appropriated to Abraham and his ſeed; ſaith Chriſt, Matth. 3.9. think not to ſay within your ſelves, We have Abraham to our Father; do not think that this is ſufficient, to intitle you into grace and ſalvation, you are his children but by nature; ſo in Joh. 8. The Jewes boaſting that they were Abrahams ſeed, in the 33. verſe of the Chapter, and that Abraham was their Father, in the 39 verſe, and that therefore God was their Father, in the 41 verſe; yet Chriſt ſaith, (that notwithſtanding their coming from the loynes of Abraham) that they are of their father the devil, in the 44 verſe, and the luſts of their father they would do. And hence it is, we find both in the Book or God, and by experience in our own times, that many graceleſſe children have diſcended from God, and godly, holy and religious parents: Iſhmael came of Abraham, Eſau of Iſaac; Manaſſes, of Hezekiah; that made Jeruſalem to ſwim with blood, and therefore this demonſtrateth, that men are not Gods children, and have not therefore promiſe to life and ſalvation, becauſe they come of good and godly parents, and are of true believers; for graceleſſe children have come of godly parents.
Reaſon. Becauſe good and godly parents do beget their children, not as they are godly, holy, and religious men, but merely by the power and ſtrength of nature, as they are men: And godly parents do convey and derive natural affections into their children, from their loynes, yea and with their nature the putrifaction and infection of nature; and that which is common to the ſtock and nature of mankind, though the parents be good and godly, not that children have in themſelves by imitation a proneneſſe to evil, and a proneneſſe to good, no, it cometh from their parents, they recive it from their ſtock, race, and line; and hence it is, that we are ſaid in Epheſ. 2.3. to be the children of wrath by nature, by nature and birth we are ſo born… ſo that this is certainly a truth, that the coming and diſcending from holy parents, is not ſufficient to intitle us to heaven.
Object. But the Lord hath promiſed in Exod. 20.6. that he will ſhew mercy unto thouſands, to them that love him, and keep his Commandements, yea to their children after them to a thouſand generations.
Anſw. It is true, that the Lord will be good and gracious to thoſe that truly fear him, and to thoſe that tread in their ſteps, if they be good and gratious, to a thouſand generations; but the Lord ſaith, Ezech. 18.10. if a good man beget a graceleſſe child, ſaith the Lord, that wicked child ſhall dye in his ſins, and his blood ſhall be upon him, the righteouſneſſe of his father ſhall never be imputed unto him.
Object. The Apoſtle here ſaith, in 1 Cor. 7.14. that the children of believing parents, though one of them be a believer, whether father or mother, then the children are holy, therefore (it ſeemeth) that the coming and diſcending from thoſe that are true believers, is ſufficient to intitle them that are children, unto the promiſe of God concerning righteouſneſſe, life and ſalvation, and therefore they are holy.
Anſw. The meaning of the Apoſtle in that place, is this, That the children of believing parents, thoſe children are holy, not in regard of any internal or inherent holineſſe in the children themſelves, for then the Apoſtle would have ſaid, they are pure, in oppoſition to the former ſentence, (then they are unclean.) And again, if the children coming from true believers, have inherent holineſſe in themſelves, then they belonged to Gods election, which they do not (by reaſon of their birth, how are they then holy? they are holy, by vertue of the covenant, by a holineſſe that cometh from the Covenant vertually, they are to be eſteemed federally holy, and ſuch as belong unto Gods election, coming unto them from the covenant: For the covenant is of ſuch a great reach, and ſo far doth extend, as that they that have right unto it, and true intereſt in the Covenant, by true faith, they are thereby not onelyonly ſanctified in themſelves, and in their own perſons, but in their good actions, their eating, ſleeping, talking, and walking, yea the very creatures of God they enjoy, their meat, and drink, gold, ſilver, and oxen, and ſheep, they are ſanctified unto their uſe, and they may lawfully uſe them after a holy manner; much more then are their children ſanctified, by a holineſſe that cometh by vertue of the covenant; ſo ſpeaketh the Holy Ghoſt, they are to be accounted holy, and ſuch as belong unto Gods election, howſoever many of them belong not unto Gods election, yet they are ſo to be eſteemed in the judgment of charity.
This being a truth, that to come of good and godly parents is not ſufficient Ʋſe 1 to intitle them to ſalvation, Let all then that are well diſcended, that are the children of good, godly and religious parents, take heed of pride, and of a ſwelling conceit, that cometh to them from their parents; Becauſe their parents are ſuch as truly fear God. It is a thing uſual, and incident unto us, to be proud of nothing more, then of Nobility, and gentry, that we are come of ſuch parentage, and hereupon to be lifted up with a ſwelling conceit, and eſpecially if we come from religious parents: Indeed I confeſſe, it is a matter of honour and dignity, to be the children of religious parents, yet do not thou think, that becauſe thou art a child of one that feareth God, that therefore thou haſt promiſe to life and ſalvation, no, thou muſt find better evidence to thy heart and ſoul, if thou be able to look into thy ſelf with a right eye, and be able to ſee and diſcern of thy own eſtate, thou ſhalt find thy ſelf to be in the common condition of all men, that thou art lying and wallowing in thy filthineſſe and blood, though thou be of the moſt religious parentage upon the face of the earth, thou ſhalt ſee thou art defiled and polluted; and imagine not that thou art of a better nature then others, becauſe thou art come of better parents, this is a conceit that runneth in the minds of many, they are come of good ſtock, and of good parents, and therefore they are of a better nature; no, thy ſtock is rotten of it ſelf, and conveyeth nothing but pollution and corruption to the ſprigs: It may be, thou art not ſo vile and wicked as others be, not ſuch a debauched wretch as others are, but yet know this, that it is not the goodneſſe of thy nature, that thou art ſo, but from reſtraining grace, thou being brought up in a religious family, the reaſon why thou breakeſt not out into ſin, it is from reſtraining grace, not from the goodneſſe of thy nature, for the root of it is rotten; nature is as corrupted in thee, as in the vileſt Monſters upon the earth, and that thou art not ſo bad, or ſo vile as Judas, Cain, Saul, the Sodomites, or Pharaoh, it cometh from reſtraining grace, not from any goodneſſe of thy nature; do not therefore build upon the goodneſſe of thy nature; labour to change thy ſelf from what thou art, and reſt not in a civil formality, and think that is ſufficient, never reſt untill thou find thy heart is renued by grace, that thou art framed anew in ſome meaſure, according to the Image of Jeſus Chriſt; labour for renovation, and then thou haſt ground of true comfort, and right and title unto life and ſalvation, otherwiſe, if thou reſt in thy good education, and in thy good nature, it will deceive thee; but labour for the powerful working of the Spirit in thee.
Ʋſe 2 Is this ſo, That the very coming and diſcending from the loynes of good and godly parents, is not ſufficient to intitle children unto life and ſalvation? It concerneth then ſuch as are good and godly parents, that they do labour to work better things in their ſoules, then thoſe that their children receive from them by generation and birth: For why; by generation and birth what do they receive? nothing but a common diſeaſe and corruption, Joh. 3.6. That which is born of the fleſh, is fleſh. And it may be with thy common corruption thou haſt derived a particular infection, not alwayes ſo, but it may be thou haſt; therefore it concerneth all good and godly parents to convey better things then thoſe they have received by generation and birth, to labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature, Prov. 22. labour to expel the folly in their hearts by nature, the bundel of folly and vanity, by teaching, by inſtructing, comforting, reproving, commending, and exhorting moderately, to work the fear of God in their ſoules; labour to intitle them to the promiſe of life and ſalvation, and be an Inſtrument of the promiſe of life and ſalvation, and be an inſtrument of their eternal good.
Neither are they all children, becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham: but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called.
THe particular inſtance of the true ſeed of Abraham, cometh now to be ſtood upon, in that he ſaith, in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, which words are the words of God to Ahraham, in Gen. 21.12. and that place of Geneſis conſidered with this of the Apoſtle, giveth us to underſtand the meaning of the words to be this,
Iſhmael was Abrahams child as well as Iſaac; Iſhmael came of Abraham by courſe of nature, and that as well as Iſaac; yet God ſaith, thy ſon Iſhmael ſhould not be thy ſon and heir, but told him plainly and directly, that his ſon Iſaac was the child, in whom he would accompliſh and make good his Promiſe, concerning mercy, grace, righteouſneſſe, and ſalvation, in him ſhall thy ſeed come to participate in the promiſe, in thy ſon Iſaac.
Now then, the Lord in theſe words maketh known, that Iſaac was the choſen ſeed of Abraham, that did belong unto Gods election, that he had rejected Iſhmael from all eternity, though he was the ſon of Abraham, and appointed Iſaac to life and ſalvation: And ſo this example of Iſaac, and of Iſhmael, doth very well fit the purpoſe of the Apoſtle, namely this, to ſhew that though the Jews come of Abraham, according to the courſe of Nature, and are his ſeed by carnal generation, yet are not all ſuch as belong unto Gods eternal election, and though they be rejected, there is no breach of the promiſe of the Lord, of which the Apoſtle treateth in this Chapter.
Now we are to obſerve in the firſt place, touching theſe words, they being conſidered, (as you heard) the words of God to Abraham, thus much; That God in theſe words maketh known unto Abraham, a great difference that was between his two ſons, Iſhmael and Iſaac; ſuch a difference as Abraham did not think upon, nor could not take notice of, untill God did make it known: Abraham without queſtion, did judge both of his ſons to be in the ſame eſtate; Iſhmael, and Iſaac, to be in the ſame condition, and that both had right and title to that Covenant, in Gen. 17.7. I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed. Thus Abraham thought, and therefore Abraham circumciſed both his children, yea Iſhmael in the firſt place, and inſtructed both, and brought them up both alike; yet you ſee God putteth a wide, and a large difference between them, his ſons, Iſhmael and Iſaac: Iſaac was the choſen ſeed; Iſhmael was not; Iſaac belonged to the election, Iſhmael did not; Iſaac was the child in whom God would fulfill his promiſe, Iſhmael was not: but Abraham reſpected both alike, untill the Lord did caſt out Iſhmael: hence we are to underſtand thus much,
That there is no manifeſt difference between Gods choſen and others, Doctrine. in regard of their ſpiritual eſtate, untill God put a difference between them by his Word, and the works of his Spirit: I grant there is a difference between Gods choſen, and others, even from everlaſting, and before they have a being in the world, but it is not known unto us, and there is no difference between them touching their ſpiritual eſtate manifeſted, known, and diſcernable, either by our ſelves, or by others, untill God do put and make a difference between them, by calling and converting the one by his Word and the work of his Spirit, and leaving the other uncalled effectually.
Before the effectual calling of Gods choſen, they are in the ſame eſtate and condition, with thoſe that belong not unto Gods election, they are prone unto evil as well as others, they are as vile in the practiſe of ſinne, as any other, unleſſe God do reſtrain them. No man can ſay, this is one that belongeth to Gods election, and this is not, untill God do put a difference between them. And this truth hath not onelyonly ground here, but alſo plentiful evidence in many places of Scripture, in 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. The Apoſtle having reckoned up many groſſe ſinners, and given them their doom, that they can never come to inherit Gods Kingdome, as neither Fornicators, nor Adulterers, nor Wantons, nor Buggerers, nor Theeves, nor Drunkards, nor Raylers, nor Extortioners, ſhall never inherit Gods Kingdome, living, and dying ſo, he ſubjoyneth, verſ. 11. ſuch were ſome of you, you were no better; but now you are waſhed, and juſtified, and ſanctified; now God hath put a difference between you and others, by the work of his grace, and power of his Spirit, you were as vile as any debauched ſinner, untill you were cleanſed: and in Epheſ. 2.1, 2, 3. The Apoſtle ſaith of the believing Epheſians, they were now believers, but in times paſt they were dead in treſpaſſes and in ſinnes, yea they walked (before their calling and converſion,) after the faſhion of the world, and followed the Prince that ruled in the ayr, that is, the Devil, that now worketh ſtrongly in the children of diſobedience, you were dead, and you walked; (how could that be?) you had the life of nature, and you walked after the Faſhions of the World, yea, I and other believing Jewes, we had our converſation in the luſts of the fleſh, and were by nature children of wrath as well as others; there was no difference untill God put a difference: Thus the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the believing Romans, Romans 6.17. That they had been ſervants of ſinne, and ſlaves thereunto, but ye now, God be thanked, through grace have obtained a form of godlineſſe, whereunto you are delivered: So likewiſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of himſelf, and other true believers, in Titus 3.3, 4, 5. We our ſelves were in times paſt, diſobedient, deceived, ſervers of luſts and pleaſures, hateful, and hating one another. But when the bountifulneſſe of God appeared through Chriſt, Not by the works of righteouſneſſe that we have done, but of his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of the new birth, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt; now there is a difference, but before there was none: So that this doth manifeſt unto us, that there is no known difference between Gods choſen and others, in regard of their ſpiritual eſtate and condition, untill God put a difference between them, by the work of his grace and Spirit.
The Reaſon Reaſon. is manifeſt, becauſe Gods Children have no priviledge above others, in regard of their birth; they are born and brought forth in ſinne, as well as others, they are tainted and ſtained with the pollution of ſin, as well as others, and Nature in them is as vile and corrupt, as in the vileſt ſinner upon the face of the earth; yea, it is as predominant, and powerful in them, as in any: ſo that we ſee, that Gods Children have no manifeſt difference between them and others, till God put a difference.
Ʋſe 1 Upon this ground, in the firſt place, learn we to take heed, that we take not upon us to determine of the Final eſtate of any man, being yet in his natural eſtate, and condition; we may not be ſo bold as to ſay, this man, or that woman is a Reprobate, and a caſt-away, it is bold preſumption in any.
Abraham could not diſcern, that his ſon Iſhmael was one, that had no right and title to the Covenant of grace, till God ſaith, I have caſt him off. And there is no manifeſt difference between Gods choſen, and others, touching their ſpiritual eſtate, untill God do difference them, by working upon the one, and leaving the other unwrought upon; and therefore judge not of the future and final eſtate of any man, by his preſent condition: we may lawfully judge a carnal man, to be a carnal man, and in the way that leadeth to hell and damnation, and if he do hold on in that way, and not repent, he ſhall be damned; but to go beyond this, is to break into Gods ſeveral, and ſecret counſel: what a carnal man may be, in after time, leave that unto Gods determinate counſell.
Ʋſe 2 In the ſecond place, the truth now delivered is to be thought upon, by as many as find tnemſelves to be effectually called by the Word, and the holy Spirit of God; the conſideration of this, ought to ſtirre them up to bleſſe God, and magnifie the mercy of God, for that great mercy and benefit beſtowed upon them: they are bound in this reſpect ſo to do, what were they before they were ſo wrought upon? they were in the ſame eſtate and condition, even with others, that belong not unto Gods election; there was no manifeſt and known difference between them, and others, either in the eye of the world, or the judgment of others, neither could themſelves judge themſelves in a better eſtate, it was not diſcernable unto them, or unto others; they were as prone to evil, as others, as vile in the practiſe of evil as others; they were wallowing and tumbling in ſin, and had no more deſire of good, then the vileſt miſcreant upon the earth: Now who hath put a difference between thee, and them that remain uncalled? ſurely, onelyonly the Lord, and that of his mere goodneſſe, and mercy; and if thou throughly conſider it, thou canſt not be ſufficiently thankful to God, and therefore when thou ſeeſt them wallowing and tumbling in ſin, and taking much delight and pleaſure therein, paſſe it not by, without conſideration, but conſider of it, (not to inſult over them, but to pity them,) and thereby call to mind, what thou waſt before the Lord wrought upon thee, by his Word, and holy Spirit, and conſider that thou ſeeſt in them, that ſo go on in their ſins, a lively image, picture, and proportion, of thine own former natural eſtate, and miſerable condition, ſuch a one was I once, I took as much delight as they do, poſted as faſt to damnation as they do; how much then am I bound to magnifie the goodneſſe and mercy of God to me, who of his mere goodneſſe and mercy hath turned my feet another way; even the Lord of his rich and abundant mercy, hath put a manifeſt difference between my ſelf and many others; he hath put now a new mind in me, and hath given me a delight in good things: what ſhall I render unto the Lord? what thanks, what glory, what honour, and obedience ſhall I render to my God? This, ought to be the meditation, and conſideration, of thee, whoſoever thou art, that findeſt thy ſelf wrought upon by the holy Word of God; when thou ſeeſt other run on in ſin, with delight and pleaſure, to poſt to deſtruction, (as if they meant to come thither with all ſpeed,) haſting to damnation: Oh then lift up thy heart in Serious contemplation upon the free grace and goodneſſe of God, in calling thee out of that number, and electing thee to ſalvation.
Further, in that God ſaith here unto Abraham, in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called: Iſaac being one that belonged unto Gods eternal election, I might here ſtand to ſhew, that God doth effectually call none; but ſuch as belong unto Gods election; but I ſtood upon that in the 30 verſe of the eight Chapter; onelyonly one thing now that is this, We are to mark that God here ſaith not unto Abraham, in Iſaac will I make good my Covenant, in Iſaac will I make good my promiſe; but he ſaith, in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called; Iſaac ſhall be called and his ſeed, and ſo will I make good my Covenant in Iſaacs calling: The doctrine is this,
That Gods effectual calling of men, out of the ſtate of nature, Doctr. into the ſtate of grace, by the Word and work of his Spirit,Effectual calling is an evidence of a mans being in Covenant with God. it is a ſure evidence unto them that are ſo called; that they are in Covenant with God, and God with them; that God is their good and gracious Father, yea it doth infallibly evidence unto them, that God hath loved them from everlaſting. God now hath ſet upon them a ſeal of his ſpecial love, and that now they have right and title to the promiſes of God concerning righteouſneſſe, life and ſalvation. 2 Pet. 1.10. ſaith the Apoſtle, Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure. You ſee he putteth down calling, before election, not that it is ſo in the order of nature, but if a man be called, he is certainly elected; if we be ſure of our calling, we may be ſure of our election, we may certainly and infallibly conclude, that we are in Covenant with God, and have right and title to the promiſes of God; we may ſo conclude, not doubtfully, or conjecturally, but certainly conclude, I have right and title to the Promiſes of God.
Know then, what an excellent and ſweet comfort may this be to them, Ʋſe. that find themſelves effectually called? haſt thou good evidence of thy effectual calling? hath the Word a kindly working, hath it wrought upon thee a change? and ſet thee out of the ſtate of nature, into the ſtate of grace? thou art certainly in a moſt bleſſed and happy condition, this doth evidence that God did love thee before the world was, before it had a being: now thou art in Covenant with God, and God hath now ſet his ſeal upon thee, thou art one of his good Iſaacs, one of his beloved; think upon it therefore, the meditation of thy effectual calling is more comfortable unto thee, then to think upon thy election, or redemption by Chriſt, theſe are matters of great comfort, but thy effectual calling is more comfortable unto thee, it ſealeth up that thou art one of Gods choſen, that thou art redeemed by the Blood of Chriſt: look to thy effectual calling, or elſe it appertaineth not unto thee; but thou being called, here is wonderful comfort for thee.